The Nanny
by VictoriaGrant
Summary: Princess Diaries/ Mary Poppins crossover
1. Chapter 1

"Oh just give it up" Prince Pierre snapped at his younger brother, annoyed that Phillippe kept interrupting his reading with crumpling up papers.

"I won´t" the younger boy glared back at Pierre, then looked back down on his paper.

"If you would help me it´d be much easier."

"But I don´t want to help you, I think it´s useless, anyway."

"Why?"

Pierre shut his book and put it aside, then he slid down from the window sill and sat on the floor next to his younger brother.

"What do you want to do with it, I mean how is it supposed to be seen by anyone other than maybe Mamam?"

Phillippe seemed to think about that for a moment, then he shrugged.

"I´ll just give it to one of the reporters on Sunday and then they´ll put it up in the paper."

Pierre snorted.

"Yes, of course- you are such a baby, Phillippe."

"I am not, you´ll see."

Pierre remembered their instructions not to fight and put his arm around his brother´s shoulders.

"Ok, so what have you written so far?"

"You know, just what is important- she must be nice to us, not nasty like the last were, she must hug us and tell us she loves us and she must sing and read bedtime stories- everything Mamam never does" he added, his big brown eyes finding his brother´s blue one´s.

"There is none like that."

Pierre told his brother but Phillippe stubbornly nodded.

"Oh yes, there is!"

"Have you given it to anyone?"

Phillippe shook his head.

"No, Papa found it and took it away."

"Did he yell at you?"

"No- he just laughed" the young boy mumbled, his cheeks turning red.

"That´s ok, don´t think about it anymore" Pierre comforted his brother, taking a wrapped piece of chocolate out of his pocket and, after unpacking it, broke it in two.

"Here, I got it from the cook earlier."

"Thank you, Pierre" Phillippe beamed at his older brother as he put the chocolate into his mouth.

"Now come on, we have to get dressed for bed or we´ll be in trouble."

"What is this?"

Clarisse Renaldi asked her husband who was standing in front of the fire place with a piece of paper.

"Oh, just something really silly Phillippe wrote, it´s a letter to his dream nanny."

"What?"

Clarisse took the paper from her husband and read it through quickly, then shook her head.

"Where does he get his ideas?"

"I don´t know- it´s ridiculous."

He tore the paper in two and threw the pieces into the fire, then turned around to his wife again.

"What was it you wanted to discuss?"

"It´s about the visit of the American vice president tomorrow night, do you think we should alter dessert, you know how he hates pears?"

"What are you two doing here?"

Josef halted his steps next to the two young princes who were hidden behind a wooden chest in the hallway outside the king´s office.

"We are waiting" Pierre informed him and Josef had to bite his lip to hide his amusement.

"I see- and would you care to tell me what you are waiting for?"

"Papa is interviewing nannies this afternoon."

"And why are you sitting here then?"

"We want to see them going in" Phillippe whispered, then he looked at his watch.

"It´s almost two, the first should-" he stopped talking and shrank back behind the chest when footsteps became audible.

Josef straightened up and came face to face with a young woman who was wearing an elegant dark coat and a hat topped with a daisy, a large bag in one hand and an umbrella in the other.

She had dark hair and blue eyes and Josef liked her instantly, mainly because she remarkably resembled Queen Clarisse who Josef secretly adored.

"Good afternoon, Madam" he greeted her politely and was rewarded with a beautiful smile.

"Good afternoon, Sir- my name is Mary Poppins, I´m here for the vacant position."

Her eyes glided towards the large chest and she added "You shouldn´t be lurking around on the floor, gentlemen, princes never do such things."

The boys slowly emerged from behind the chest and shyly looked up at the woman who was looking them upside down.

"Well, a little less formal than is to be expected but all in all representable, I´d dare say- so come on, we ought to inform your father that we are to be found in the nursery."

Pierre just stared at her but when he looked at his brother he caught a triumphant look from Phillippe.

"Just like Mamam" the younger prince whispered happily as they followed Mary Poppins up the corridor towards the king´s office, leaving Josef to look after him, still fighting back his laughter- Clarisse would be beside herself with anger.


	2. Chapter 2

Thank you very, very much for the reviews, I´m so happy about them :D

I´m assuming that both Mary Poppins and Bert don´t age the way normal people do, due to the magic they have in them, so please bear that in mind while reading the next part.

"Rupert?"

The king looked up at the sound of his wife´s voice, still feeling slightly put off.

"Oh, hello."

"Are you all right?"

She asked, looking irritated as she stepped over to his desk.

"Yes, I´m fine."

"Weren´t you going to pick out a nanny?"

"I did- she´ll be in the nursery with the boys now."

"That was fast, are you sure you made a good choice?"

"I don´t- yes- yes, I´m sure she´s a great choice."

Clarisse still was looking suspicious but nodded slowly.

"Well, good- I suppose I´ll meet her later then, I´ll leave you alone now."

"How are you doing that?"

Pierre asked, watching as Mary Poppins unpacked her- seemingly- empty bag.

"What do you mean?"

She asked, pulling out another dress and hanging it up.

"Well, the bag is empty, where does all that stuff come from?"

The prince asked and Mary Poppins sighed, somehow it had all been easier when children hadn´t been so forward fifty years ago.

"You sometimes have to try and see beyond the obvious things in life."

She finally answered, now extracting a pair of shoes.

Phillippe, who had been watching the exchange in silence now got up from where he had been sitting on the floor.

"You look a lot like our mother" he observed, causing Mary Poppin´s eyes to widen in shock.

She didn´t appreciate to be compared to anyone, neither to queens nor chamber maids.

"Which is a good thing" Pierre hastily added, always being the diplomat.

"Well, I´ll just try and take it as a complement then" she smiled lightly at the two boys before putting her bag away in the closet.

"Now let´s get you two dressed and get outside for a while, it´s a wonderful day."

Both Pierre and Phillippe took their jackets and ran over to the door but were stopped instantly.

"Princes don´t run."

"Yeah, royalty doesn´t rush, we hasten" piped Phillippe, earning himself a reproachful glare from his brother.

"He always says things he has heard from Mamam" he explained to the nanny who was looking as though she was trying hard not to smile.

"Mamam never has time for us" Phillippe told his new nanny as he shyly seized her hand.

She didn´t seem to mind and allowed him to walk beside him down the stairs.

"She´s a very busy woman" Mary Poppins said and Pierre nodded.

"Yes, she is, I always tell you that, Phillippe."

"But it would be nice if she was less busy- and Papa, too."

The younger princes sighed, then his face straightened up at the sight of the open balcony doors.

"Are we going into the gardens?"

Mary Poppins nodded.

"For a start we´ll do that."

"Josef?"

"Yes, Your Majesty?"

"Have you seen the children?"

Josef noticed the impatient note in the queen´s voice, he had been right in thinking that she wouldn´t like that her husband hadn´t included her in that decision.

"I believe they are out in the gardens."

"Not alone, I hope."

"No, of course not- if I´m allowed to say so, the young lady seems very capable of handling the princes."

"Well, I hope she is" Clarisse sighed, " we can´t afford someone else walking out on us after a few weeks- so you´ve met her already?"

"I did."

"What is she like?"

"She is nice- very pretty."

Clarisse´s eyes narrowed warningly but Josef ignored it, she had no right to be jealous of anyone he considered to be pretty after all.

"Actually she looks a lot like you" he couldn´t resist adding, "just dark haired."

"Lovely" the queen snapped, standing up even straighter as though to prove to him that no one was to be compared to her.

"That wasn´t what I meant, anyway, I wanted to know if you think she´ll be strict and get some discipline into Phillippe, he´ll need it before he starts to attend school next year."

"I have full confidence in her, actually she seemed rather intimidating to me."

"Well, that´s good then, I suppose I´ll get a chance to talk to her when they are back- do you have time to accompany me for a walk?"

Josef felt annoyed at her demanding tone and shrugged rather indifferently.

"I´ve been waiting in this corridor all day for you to come by and ask me that."

She looked back at him, trying to work out if he was mocking her again and finally seemed to decide that he indeed was.

"Take it or leave it, I can as well go on my own."

"Unfortunately you can´t and you know that."

She simply walked away from him and Josef followed her, wondering why he was so impatient today, he supposed it must be his confrontation with the children earlier, he didn´t approve of the way the king and queen treated their sons and had rather often commented on it without having been asked for his opinion, earning himself harsh words from Clarisse.

Mary Poppins smiled to herself as she watched the two young princes chasing each other through the maze.

She had abandoned her travel clothes for a casual navy blue summer dress with her long dark hair still in a bun and marveled on how everything had changed in the last years- well, there were some things that never changed.

"How did you manage it this time?"

She asked and the man stepped up next to her, grinning.

"You know me, ever the observing guy- I´ve just started to work at the palace gardens."

She turned towards him and took in his working clothes, a pair of dark trousers and a short sleeved shirt, then said "I should have known."

"You should have" Bert nodded, then looked over to the princes.

"Nice boys."

He stated and Mary nodded.

"Yes, they are- they are lonely though and nowadays children don´t accept it when their parents don´t have time for them as quietly as they did fifty years ago."

"So what are you planning to do?"

He asked, his eyes twinkling.

"I´m not planning anything" she snapped, sounding outraged at the mere suggestion.

"You make it sound as though I was on some sort of mission, I merely needed a new job."

Now Bert was actually laughing, doubled over while Mary glared at him.

"Oh you are so childish sometimes- I´ll go and get the children now, it´s almost time for dinner."

"Mary?"

He called after her and she halted and turned around.

"Yes?"

"I have next Tuesday off- what do you say, shall we explore the town together?"

"I´m undecided whether or not it´s wise to be seen with you" she huffed but he could sense her mood softening again.

"Let me know when you have decided then" he smiled lovingly at her, then went back to the rose bushes he had been tending to while Mary Poppins walked over to where the two young princes were attacking each other with wooden sticks while pretending to be knights of King Arthur´s Camelot.


	3. Chapter 3

Thank you all sooooooo much for the wonderful comments, I really appreciate them :D

Ok, so to clear that up, they are not married or anything, they havn´t seen each other since London but Bert of course is still determined to make Mary see that he is the one and only thing missing in her practically perfect life, so he got the job at the Palace to be near her and well, she´s not exactly upset about it.

I don´t think anything is really going to happen between Clarisse and Josef in here but of course I need my dose of them in every story, even though due to the timing of the this one it shouldn´t go too far.

So here is the next chapter, hope you´ll enjoy it.

-----

"Can we go and see Mamam now?"

Phillippe´s voice made Mary Poppins look up from her needle work, she had pretended to be concentrating on it while thinking about Bert.

She hadn´t seen him for a long time, in fact not since she had been with the Bank´s family all those years ago- since then she had been, well- away.

She usually didn´t allow other people to occupy her thoughts in such a fashion but with Bert it was different, she had actually caught herself thinking about him before and it was confusing- confusing simply in lack for a better work, practically perfect people didn´t get confused after all!

"Is your brother ready?"

She asked and Phillippe nodded, his big brown eyes following her every move as she put her work aside and got up from the chair she had been sitting on, smoothing out her skirt.

Pierre came into the bedroom and together they made their way over to the door and out into the corridor where they came face to face with Josef again.

"Good evening, Madam" he greeted Mary, then turned to the boys.

"Your Highness and Your Highness" they giggled at his words, it seemed to be a game they knew.

"We are going to see Mamam" Phillippe told Josef excitedly, then he turned back to his brother and Josef turned to the nanny.

"Have you met Her Majesty yet?"

"I have not but I assure you there´s nothing to worry about."

"How can you tell that I´m worried?"

"Easily, it´s in your eyes and your voice."

She didn´t sound amused, rather matter-of-factly, rather like Clarisse would in the same situation, the thought made Josef smile.

"Her Majesty can be a little- difficult at times."

"I assure you I have worked for more difficult people" Mary stated calmly, she wasn´t about to let herself being intimidated by anyone, queen or not and she wasn´t afraid to express it.

"Then there shouldn´t be any problems" Josef replied smoothly, then added "I´m on my way to Her Majesty´s suite myself, we can go up there together- so where have you been working previously?"

"London" she answered vaguely, she wasn´t about to explain anything, she never did and besides it would be impossible to make anyone understand- anyone but Bert- but she didn´t want to think about Bert anymore- at least not until next Tuesday.

They had reached the door that lead to the queen´s rooms and Josef knocked, then he entered and the princes ran towards their mother who was standing in front of the balcony doors.

"Mamam, look, we are ready for bed" Phillippe told his mother proudly while Pierre quietly wrapped his arms around the queen´s waist, determined to enjoy the short moment where he would be allowed to just be near her before she remembered about dignity and attitude.

"Well, that´s very good news" Clarisse smiled at the excitement of her youngest, then briefly stroked Pierre´s blond hair before looking up at the people standing in front of her.

"So you must be Ms. Poppins" she took in the other woman´s appearance, the flawless blouse and skirt, dark hair neatly swept up.

"Yes, Your Majesty."

No curtsey, no sign that she was impressed to be in the queen´s rooms at all but what really made Clarisse´s eyes narrow dangerously was Josef who seemed to bite his lips to keep himself from grinning.

So he thought that the disrespect that- person- was showing her was funny?

Well, she would talk about that to him once the children were off to bed again- for now there wasn´t much she could do, Rupert wouldn´t hear of looking for yet another nanny, not when the woman in front of her obviously was doing a good job, she would have to live with her, at least for some time.

"What have you two done all day?"

She asked her son´s who instantly started chatting away and Clarisse smiled, a little sadly that she never had any time to share their adventures but then she was the queen and queens had more important things to do than playing with their children, at least that was the common opinion.

Finally she kissed both boys goodnight and their nanny ushered them out of the room again and Clarisse´s saw Phillippe seize the woman´s hand, smiling up at her before the door closed- Clarisse didn´t really know why but the sight hurt more than she cared to admit.

"Your Majesty?"

Josef´s voice interrupted her thoughts.

"Oh, I´m sorry, what was it you wanted?"

"I wanted to talk to you about your lunch appointment tomorrow but we can talk about it tomorrow morning instead" he offered but she shook her head.

"No, let´s talk about it now- and before we do, what was so funny?"

Josef looked back at her, his face expressionless.

"I don´t know what you mean."

"You know exactly what I mean- you thought her disrespectful attitude is funny and I can´t agree with that."

"She seems to be a very self content person, I can´t see what´s so bad about that though, the boys adore her."

"How nice" Clarisse tried to keep the hurt in her voice at bay but of course her bodyguard saw right through her.

"Come on, you can´t blame them, you never have time for them and you have to admit, she´s very much alike you, it´s understandable that they feel drawn to her."

"Understandable, I beg your pardon? And stop saying she is like me, I don´t appreciate that!"

She turned away from him, ashamed of her emotional outburst but that Josef of all people compared her to her nanny was too much for her tight nerves.

"I apologize, Your Majesty, I was out of line there" he told her smoothly and Clarisse bit back her tears.

"Stop treating me like that" she snapped, still not facing him, what was wrong with her, she usually was so in control but right now it seemed to be slipping through her fingers.

"LIke what, exactly?"

His voice was warmer now, almost gentle and she felt him step closer to her, then his hands on her upper arms.

She relaxed a little and finally turned around and looked up at him.

"Like I wasn´t a person but only the queen, I can´t bear it sometimes."

"It seems as though you wouldn´t accept anything else" he said, still in that strange, tender voice that washed over Clarisse like a caress.

"I know- I´m sorry, I just- I-" To her utter horror she felt tears dwell in her eyes and a moment later Josef had pulled her close to him and she was sobbing her heart out, she felt as though she would never be able to stop crying again and she didn´t even really know why she was so despaired, only that she felt save in his arms and that she could trust him with her pain and weakness when she would trust no one else.

---

Clarisse opened her eyes and looked around in the dark room, wondering for a moment why she was lying on her bed fully dressed, then she remembered how she had broken down in Josef´s arms earlier and how he had placed her on the bed and held her, gently stroking her back until she had slowly calmed down again- she must have fallen asleep in his arms and he had left sometime later.

She shook her head, how could that have happened, she was the queen and he was her bodyguard, how could she allow herself to be so weak.

She turned over in bed, wondering if Josef would tell anyone but then came to the conclusion that he wouldn´t, Josef cared about her- he wouldn´t betray her trust like that.

And why had she chosen him of all people she could have trusted?

She didn´t need to think about it, she knew what it was and it scared her even more than anything else, she was married, she had children and she was the queen- sighing Clarisse sat up in bed and decided that a cup of tea would do her good.

Deciding that she could impossibly wake her maid in the middle of the night she got out of bed and pulled on a dressing gown before slipping out of her suite and walking down the corridor.

Like most of the times she didn´t found the kitchen empty, there were so many people living at the palace that even that late at night there was always someone who was down there to get something to eat or drink, in tonight´s case it was a handsome man she vaguely recalled having interviewed for a job in the palace gardens recently.

He was sitting at the table and sipping a cup of tea and when she entered the room he got up and bowed gallantly.

"Good evening, Your Majesty."

He didn´t seem at all disturbed that he was about to share his solitude moment with her and Clarisse released the breath she hadn´t been aware she was holding, she hated it when people got all formal on her while she was dressed in her robe and slippers, it made her more aware than ever of the fact that they were showing respect towards her status, not her in person.

"Good evening- Bert it was, wasn´t it?"

"Yes, Madam."

She started to make herself some tea, then asked "so do you like the job?"

He nodded.

"I do- it´s a wonderful garden, you must be very proud of it."

She smiled as she sat down at the table as well.

"I am- so you like Genovia?"

"It´s a very beautiful country, Ma´am."

"Yes, it is."

She drank some of her tea, then looked up when she felt his intense look upon her.

"You look troubled" he observed matter-of-factly and for some reason Clarisse didn´t feel offended by his words but rather sighed.

"I can´t sleep, everything somehow seems out of place right now, do you know what I mean?"

"Yes, I think I do- she isn´t that bad, you know, she just seems a little- self confident."

It took Clarisse a moment to understand that for some reason he knew exactly what was troubling her, then she asked "You know her?"

Bert chuckled.

"Oh yes- I´ve known her for a long time and if she wants to she can be lovely- not that she wants to very often" he added, still smiling.

"She´s fantastic with children though" he then said, "they adore her."

"So I´ve seen" Clarisse sounded a little sad and tried to hide it behind a smile but she could tell she hadn´t pulled it off convincingly.

"Don´t worry, you´ll always be their mother, no matter how many people are around them."

Bert tried to comfort the young queen.

He felt sorry for her, he had seen people like her before, she was beautiful and putting on a perfect facade for the world around her but in truth she was lonely and desperately in need for someone to love her and right now she was worried that even her children might not.

The kitchen door opened and a second man entered the room, he nodded at Bert, then turned to the queen.

"How often do I have to tell you you shouldn´t do this?"

The queen blushed and bent her head like a child that had been caught at something that had been explicitly forbidden and Bert watched the scene with interest.

He knew that the guy was her personal bodyguard but there seemed to be more between them than just professional air, a deep bond of trust, a strong friendship and even some sort of spark- on his side maybe even love, on her side an affection she tried to deny to herself.

"I´m sorry, I couldn´t sleep."

She admitted, finally looking up at Josef as she put her empty tea cup down onto the table.

"Shall I accompany you back to your rooms?"

Now his voice was soft, the trace of irritation it had carried earlier gone, that had obviously come from his concern about her while he had looked for her.

The queen only nodded, then turned to Bert.

"Thank you" she simply said and he nodded, watching as she got up and Josef guided her out of the room, his hand on the small of her back, a small but intimate gesture and a slightly possessive one that made Bert smile.


	4. Chapter 4

Thank you all very much for the reviews, I hope you´ll enjoy the next part also! 

"Don´t you want to-" Clarisse bit her lip and Josef shook his head.

"I don´t think that´s a good idea, Your Majesty."

They were standing outside the queen´s bedroom door and Clarisse had to admit that he was right, asking him inside wasn´t a good idea, it wasn´t a good idea at all.

"Josef?"

"Yes, Madam?"

"Stop calling me that, we are alone."

"What else should I call you then?"

"I have a name, Josef."

"You do but I´m hardly in the position to use it, even in private."

She felt tears of frustration burn in her eyes and for a moment she had the urge to yell at the man in front of her, she hated him for being so awfully in control, so calm and at ease with himself whereas she completely lost her head while being around him.

"Clarisse."

His voice was different now, warm and gentle and she looked up, a single tear running down her cheek.

He raised his hand and carefully wiped it away, his hand lingering on her cheek a moment longer than would have been necessary.

"Please understand, I have to keep my distance wherever I can, it´s all that prevents me from making the biggest mistake of my life."

"Which would be what?"

She whispered, breathlessly and his eyes darkened with sadness.

"I think you know that" was all he said before bowing his head.

"Good night, Your Majesty, sleep well."

"Goodnight, Josef" she whispered into the darkness of the corridor as he walked away from her.

---

"Really?"

Phillippe bounced up and down on his bed in excitement while Pierre was rather quiet, still not daring to believe what their nanny had just announced to them.

"I never joke, my dear boy- now go and get dressed, you don´t want to keep your father waiting."

"Will Mamam be there also?"

Pierre asked, still sounding a bit suspicious.

"I´ve heard that Her Majesty is still in bed with a headache" Mary Poppins informed the boy crisply while helping Pierre lacing up his shoes.

"That happens all the time" the little prince stated, hopping down from the bed.

"Papa says she´s his délicate fleur."

Mary Poppins chose not to comment on that, she had a feeling that there was more to the queen´s unwillingness to get out of bed but that was hardly her concern, she was here to do something about the boys and she had successfully talked the king into taking them with him onto his morning ride while giving him the feeling that it had in fact been his idea from the start.

She led the princess out to where a stable boy was waiting with their ponies, the king already mounted on his horse beside them.

"Bonjour, Papa" Pierre called before mounting his pony while Phillippe had to be lifted up by the stable boy.

Mary Poppins noticed that both princes had an excellent style despite their young age and she was glad that no one had suggested she´s accompany the party, also of course she was a good equestrian, she preferred to stay on the ground.

"Bye, Mary Poppins" Phillippe smiled at her and Pierre added "We will see you later."

"Madam" the king nodded at her, then lead the way down towards the lake while Mary Poppins looked after them before turning around and coming face to face with Bert.

"Good morning, Mary" he greeted her, smiling warmly at her and she nodded.

"Good morning- you are up early."

"It´s going to be too hot to work outside later, I want to get some things done."

"A fine attitude" she commentated, then said "I have been thinking about next Tuesday."

"Good- so what was the outcome?"

She glared at him for a moment, not appreciating his interruption.

"I was about to tell you that I´d spend it with you- that was before you interrupted me so rudely."

Bert simply laughed, shaking his head.

"Oh, Mary, when will you loosen up a little."

"I don´t believe in loosening up´, thank you."

"So I apologize- will you stop being annoyed with me then?"

She hesitated for a moment and Bert quickly bent down and plugged a daisy for her and when he held it out she couldn´t help but smile a little.

"Fine, I forgive you- once more."

"Thank you, that is very generous of you."

"I have to go back inside, there´s some sowing to be done before the boys get back."

"I´ll go and tend to the roses then, it´s been nice running into you."

"It has been good to see you too- most of the time."

"You said you´d forgive me."

"I said I´d forgive, not that I´d forget."

With that said she turned around and headed up the stairs, feeling his eyes on her back as she walked.

---

"Your Majesty?"

Clarisse pulled the sheets higher up over her head, ignoring the maid´s pleading voice.

Why couldn´t they all just leave her alone? She wanted to lie in bed and feel sorry for herself, seeing no one, talking to no one and wait until that silly fluttery feeling in her stomach would go away again.

"Your Majesty, could you please come out of there?"

The maid´s voice was a little more impatient this time but Clarisse didn´t move.

She heard the woman angrily mutter something, then her footsteps moved to the door and a moment later it was closed, then opened again and other footsteps were nearing the bed, causing Clarisse´s heart to jump and then pound very fast in her chest.

She felt the mattress dip as he sat down beside her, then his hand firmly pulled the sheets away from her face.

"What are you doing down there?"

"I´m hiding" she replied, aware that she sounded like a silly child but right now she couldn´t have cared less.

"Why?"

He asked calmly, looking down at her.

"For no good reason, I simply feel as though I´d like to disappear."

Josef nodded.

"I understand- it´s not really an option, though, you have to be at lunch in two hours and knowing how long you need to get ready, you should start rather soon."

"I know all that- I simply can´t bring myself to care though."

She sat up and leaned back against the headboard, longing to pull the sheets up again but she knew that Josef wouldn´t allow it.

She thought how she must look right now, her hair tangled and without make up, in a nightshirt and with a stubborn pout on her face.

"Give me the sheets back" she demanded, reaching out but Josef shook his head.

"I won´t, if I do you´ll pull them back over your head and there´s no time for that."

"I´m not presentable, you shouldn´t see me like this."

"I´ve seen you in worse states" he replied calmly.

"That´s not the point."

She said, feeling more and more silly by the moment.

"Have you seen the boys?"

She asked, changing the topic and Josef nodded.

"They are out riding with the king."

"Really? He took them out on his morning ride? He hates to have anyone accompanying him."

"I overheard an interesting conversation between him and your nanny, she somehow managed to convince him that it would be a great idea and in the end he was of the opinion that he had decided it from the start."

"I see- I suppose the boys were happy about it?"

"They seemed ecstatic- now can I get you some tea and something to eat?"

"Yes, I suppose that would be better- Josef?"

"Yes?"

"Do you ever feel like this?"

He looked at her for a long moment, then nodded slowly.

"I do."

"What do you do about it?"

"I tell myself that one day I might get what I want and that keeps me going."

His voice had a strange undertone and Clarisse suddenly understood what he was talking about.

"You think there is a chance for that?"

She asked quietly and Josef got up from the bed before answering.

"All I can do is hope, Your Majesty."


	5. Chapter 5

Thank you all for the great reviews!

It´s fun to write this and I´ll start making Clarisse a little more likable soon, she´s simply stressed out and a bit desperate about everything she has to do but she´ll learn to tell important from not THAT important soon ;) 

---

"Mamam!"

Phillippe threw herself into Clarisse´s arms and for a moment she was too shocked at her son´s attitude to react at all, then out of a sudden impulse she lifted her son up into her arms.

"Good morning, Dear- how was the ride?"

"It was great" the prince answered, sounding a little confused and Clarisse could see why, she usually had no time to listen to her son´s childish excitements, the half an hour she spend with them before they had to go to bed simply was all she could spare on most days.

Mary Poppins approached them with Pierre who looked as surprised as Phillippe but hastily seized the opportunity and hugged Clarisse.

"Bonjour Mamam."

"Bonjour, Pierre- Phillippe says you had a great time."

"Yes- are you feeling better?"

Her oldest asked her, sounding concerned and Clarisse granted her son a rare smile.

"I do- your father and I have to go to town for a lunch appointment, is he already back from the stables?"

"He is in his office, Madam."

Her son´s nanny had arrived and Clarisse turned to the other woman, taking in her flawless appearance in a pale blue dress with her dark hair in a tight bun and she had to admit that she indeed did resemble her in a way- not that she was about to admit that to anyone else.

"Thank you- what are the boys going to do this afternoon?"

"They will attend their piano lesson, then we´ll have tea and after that I´ll see what they are interested in doing, as long as it´s nothing too pointless" Mary Poppins answered firmly, holding the queen´s gaze.

"Well, that sounds sensible- I have to go now, be good and I´ll see you later."

She kissed Phillippe´s cheek, then led her son back down onto the floor and kissed Pierre as well before nodding curtly to her nanny and proceeding up the corridor towards her husband´s office.

---

"Where have you been before you came here?"

Phillippe asked, watching Mary Poppins doing some needle work.

She looked up, thinking for a moment, then she decided to simply tell the young boy the truth- at least a version of it.

"I´ve worked for a family at London- they had a boy and a girl, both a little older than you."

"Oh- what are their names?"

"Jane and Michael" Mary answered, wondering what the two children she had last tended to had grown up to be.

"I like London" Pierre said, still looking down at the picture he was drawing, "it´s very interesting."

Mary mused about that for a moment, well, she supposed interesting was something that always had been a good characterization of the English Capitol, back in the 1910th as well as now.

"We´ve been there last summer with Papa" Pierre added, finally looking up.

"He took us there when he had to go- Mamam didn´t come with us though, there was some politician coming here and she had to represent- she often has to when Papa is away."

"She goes with him often too" Phillippe protested, "and then they are on TV all the time and she is so pretty and everyone loves her."

Mary Poppins smiled at the eagerness in the boys voice, it was obvious that despite the limited time Clarisse Renaldi spend with her children both her sons adored her- Mary didn´t really know what to do about the family though, it wasn´t as easy to get a queen and king to spend more time with their children as it was to do the same with a bank employee. 

"It´s nearly time to go and visit your mother" she told the children, looking at her watch.

Both boys instantly packed up their drawings and started to change into their pajamas, then Phillippe, pulling on his robe, asked "Are you going to read us a bedtime story later?"

Mary looked up from her needle work again.

"I could- or I could sing something for you instead."

"Oh, that is even better- Mamam can sing, too" Phillippe added, looking sad.

"She never does though- she doesn´t have time, she is the queen and queen´s are always busy" Phillippe chanted and Mary caught Pierre´s eye.

"See, I´ve told you, he always parrots everything Mamam tells us" the older prince whispered to his nanny.

---

"Good evening, Your Majesty" Josef bowed his head to the queen who had just closed her office door behind her.

"Oh, hello, Josef- what are you doing?"

"Nothing much, I was on my way to the kitchen to get something to eat- it´s almost eight, the princes will be up at your rooms at any moment."

Clarisse looked tired as she nodded.

"I know, I just hope they won´t be too lively tonight, I don´t think I- oh listen to me, I´m a horrible mother, I´ve only seen them for five minutes today and I´m already complaining about the prospect to spend some time with them."

"Don´t feel too guilty, it´s not your fault that you are so busy" Josef said, not wanting to upset her any further but Clarisse didn´t buy his attempts.

"Thank you, that´s very sweet but I know that you think the same way as everyone else- and you are all right, even though I have absolutely no idea what to do about it, Rupert is leaving for Paris tomorrow and he asked me to stay here because he scheduled a parliament session, a state dinner and an important meeting with the greek ambassador for this week- not to mention the ball on Saturday, he isn´t even sure if he´ll be back then."

The queen looked close to tears now and Josef had to fight the instinct to pull her to him and comfort her.

"Did you tell him that you impossibly can do all that by yourself?"

"How could I, I have to do it, there´s no way around it- oh Josef, I´m so tired, I really don´t know how to get through till Monday."

"I have an idea to get through tonight at least, why don´t you go up to the nursery now and read the boys a bedtime story?"

She looked back at him, surprised.

"You think I should?"

"Well, it´s certainly going to be more relaxing than having them jump around in your living room- besides they´ll be happy about it, hasn´t your mother tugged you into bed when you were a child?"

"Yes, she has- maybe you are right."

They walked down the corridor together and said goodnight at the staircase, then queen hurrying off towards the nursery while Josef made his way downstairs to the kitchen, still smiling about the alarmed look on Clarisse´s face.


	6. Chapter 6

_I am SO sorry it took me so long to update and I´ll start answering to every review from the next part on as well, promised!_

_So here is the next part with Mommy Clarisse, please read and review again :D_

Mary Poppins smiled to herself as she watched the queen who was sitting on Pierre´s bed with her older son leaning against her side and Phillippe in her lap, reading to her sons.

Mary quietly closed the door to her own bedroom behind her, not wanting to disturb the young mother and her children, since the queen had requested to put the princes to bed herself Mary wasn´t needed at the moment.

She hung up her apron, then stepped over to the window overlooking the beautiful gardens and as she looked outside she suddenly felt a strange longing inside of her, a longing for a home and a family on her own.

She had had those feelings sometimes in previous years and usually it was Bert who played a significant role in her daydreams, even though she usually tried to deny it to herself.

Perhaps it was really time to quit- leaving her beloved job behind and taking care of herself for a change, she might still look like a young woman but she had been doing all this too long and the thought of settling down with someone, perhaps raising a few children of her own wasn´t half as frightening as it had seemed some years ago.

She heard the queen starting to sing a lullaby for her children and smiled to herself, perhaps it wouldn´t take as much as she had feared to open the woman´s eyes for the beautiful sides of motherhood.

The queen left the nursery a few minutes later, quietly closing the door behind her and when Mary Poppins opened her door again and peered over at her charges she found both boys fast asleep.

Still smiling she closed the door again and retrieved her nightgown from underneath her pillow.

--

"Where have you been?"

Rupert got up from Clarisse´s sofa as she closed the door to her rooms behind herself.

"I´m sorry, I didn´t know you were waiting for me, I was saying goodnight to Pierre and Phillippe."

"You mean you were in the nursery?"

"Yes, it´s not unheard of, you know."

Clarisse felt a little bit annoyed that her husband seemed to find it so completely absurd that she had been in her children´s bedroom and Rupert´s expression softened instantly.

"I´m sorry, Darling, I didn´t want to make it sound like that."

"It´s fine, I know you didn´t- is there anything you wanted to discuss?"

"Actually I wanted to say goodbye to you, I will be leaving rather early in the morning and you probably won´t be up by then."

"Will you call when you have arrived?"

"Of course, Clarisse, I always do, don´t I- are you sure you can manage the work load I have left you?"

She nodded bravely.

"I can manage- I have before."

"Yes and I always feel guilty about it."

"You have married me because you thought I´d make a suitable wife and I intend to live up to that."

She answered lightly, stepping over to her closet to hang up her jacket and get out a cardigan instead.

There was a moment´s silence and she turned around again to see her husband looking at her with an unreadable expression on his face.

"Yes?"

"You think the only reason I´ve married you is that I thought you would be suitable for this job?"

"Please, Rupert, don´t start this again, I know you are quite fond of me but face it, if I were any less pretty or smart you would have married someone else who would have been prettier and smarter and that´s completely understandable."

"I´m making you really unhappy, aren´t I" he mused, leaning back on the sofa and staring into the flames dancing in the fire place in front of him.

"What makes you say that?"

Clarisse inquired, now sitting down next to him.

"I make you work all the time, you don´t have time to spend with your children or your family or your friends, you don´t even have time for yourself and on top of all I can´t even give you the feeling that you are wanted for who you are, you still think I´m only married to you because you are a beautiful addition to my staff."

Clarisse laughed shortly, shaking her head.

"You are being ridiculous, I knew what my life would be like when I agreed to marry you, you don´t have to apologize for it."

"I hate not making you happy- you are a very special person, Clarisse."

She leaned over to him and kissed him very softly, then pulled away again.

"I am happy, Rupert- just a little strained."


	7. Chapter 7

_Captain Weirdo: Thank you- well, that´s somehow how it is, even though it doesn´t sound very nice... So here´s the next part now :D_

_addlogcon: Thank you- it´s difficult to write them as a young couple because being a huge C/J shipper I want him in there and still I don´t want to paint the marriage too black, so it´s a balancing act- hope you´ll like the next chapter as well :D_

_Prettycrazy: Aw, yeah, Mommy Clarisse is so sweet, though I´m very tempted to try another view on the Clarisse/Phillippe relationship sometime- thank you so much, here´s more now :)_

_Elizabeth Lakecrest: Aw, thank you so, so much- I didn´t think it would work either but up to now it runs fairly smoothly- about the looking alike thing, interesting that you imagine her like Julie in Camelot, I rather have the image of her at the premiere of Mary Poppins in mind, perhaps because of the hair color, I´m not sure but yes, of course that´s the picture- I DID think about having some other sort of relation coming up but then I though it would be too much of a fantasy story then, I like the idea that Mary Poppins somehow turns up in a real life story but her being there at all seems enough for here to me._

Thank you very much fort he great comment and I´ll hope you´ll keep reading and reviewing! :D

"Good morning."

"Good morning- would you mind standing up straight, Bert, it´s painful to look at you."

To Mary´s dismay Bert didn´t look taken aback at all but simply started to chuckle, causing her frown to deepen.

"What is so funny about this? Posture matters, even you should be aware of that."

"How can anyone be so ridiculously cute while being angry?"

Bert sighed, falling into step next to her as she continued down the path towards the maze in the middle of the garden.

"I am what, excuse me?"

"Cute, Mary Poppins- I trust you do know what cute is?"

"Of course I do know that, thank you very much- why are you here, anyway, shouldn´t you be somewhere at work?"

"I have been working since six, it´s time to take a break."

"And you are going to waste this break on watching two children chasing each other around a maze?"

Mary asked, sitting down on a bench just outside the waste circle of hedges.

"No- I´m going to spend it chasing after their nanny."

Bert simply said, seizing her hand and to Mary´s own surprise as much as his she didn´t pull away.

"I have talked to the queen yesterday" Bert told Mary conversationally, "poor woman, every single detail of her life seems to be complicated."

"You mean her relationship with the children or the one with her husband?"

"Both- not to mention her strong attraction to her bodyguard."

Mary Poppins didn´t say anything for a moment, then she sighed.

"I have noticed- but then being attracted to someone one shouldn´t be attracted to always seems to come with a whole lot of problems."

"What would you know about that?"

Her head shot up at his words and a deep blush colored her cheeks crimson as she withdrew her hand from his.

"Nothing- I was just pondering, it wasn´t anything personal."

"I think it was."

Bert seized her hand again and this time held it tighter so she gave up any attempt to pull it away once more.

Her heart was pounding in her chest and she felt strangely euphoric as well as terrified all at once- oh this simply couldn´t be happening, practically perfect people weren´t supposed to get distressed like this, she was supposed to be in control and not- well, in love.

She was in love- in love with Bert- perhaps she had been for a long time and never noticed it but now it was too powerful to ignore and she didn´t know what to do.

"Mary?"

"I´m sorry, I was thinking- Bert, are we still going to spend next Tuesday together?"

"Of course, if you want to- I thought I would be the one asking you again."

He looked a bit confused but happy and Mary´s fluttery heart slowed down a little, perhaps it wouldn´t be so complicated after all, at least she didn´t have to worry about his feelings, she knew that he loved her, he always had, it had been she who hadn´t even considered the possibility to give up on her beloved job and think about having a family on her own.

"Some things already seem to brighten up since you´ve arrived" Bert whispered to her, bringing her out of her thoughts.

"Like I always say, wherever you go you make the sun shine bright- I´ll see you later."

He smiled at her and then he was gone, leaving her to watch the couple that was slowly making their way down the same garden path Mary and the children had taken earlier.

They certainly did make an attractive couple, the tall, handsome king and the fair, golden haired queen and as they walked together arm in arm it even looked as though they were truly happy, at least for the time being.

Mary got up from the bench and called for the young boys who were playing a short distance away, alerting them to their parents presence, then she watched smiling as both princes ran towards the approaching couple and the king scooped Phillippe up from the ground while Pierre wrapped his arms around his mother´s waist and hugged her tightly.

--

_Clarisse stroked her son´s blond hair while watching Rupert lift Phillippe up, her little son was shrieking with laughter, her husband´s eyes sparkling as he smiled brightly back at her._

_She then looked up and her eyes met another pair very much like her own but for the first time since Clarisse had met Mary Poppins the other woman was smiling slightly and it made her seem younger and less strict and much warmer, it was the same effect Clarisse was often told her own smile was having but she didn´t stop to ponder on that._

_"Good morning Sir- Madam- I trust that you will take the princes back to inside with you for breakfast, if you are in need of me, I´ll be in the nursery."_

_The young woman had walked away before either the king nor the queen could answer and Clarisse realized what Josef had spoken off the other day when he had told her that Mary Poppins had somehow talked Rupert into taking the boys out with him._

_She had to admit that she wasn´t too upset about it though, having the boys at the breakfast table would be wonderful and of course there was no way her husband could object right now._

_"So come on, you two must be hungry after having been outside so early."_

_She took Pierre´s hand while Phillippe put his head on his father´s shoulder, indicating that he wished to be carried and the king obeyed, walking alongside his wife and oldest son._


	8. Chapter 8

"Good morning, Madam."

"Good morning, Josef."

Mary Poppins replied, stopping on her way towards the nursery to talk to the queen´s bodyguard.

"Where have you left your charges?"

The man asked and she couldn´t help but smile amusedly.

"The princes are having breakfast with their parents."

"Impressing- how do you do that?"

"I´m afraid I don´t know what you are talking about."

"Of course you don´t, I should have known- you are the best thing that could have happened to those boys, you know- and somehow you manage to criticize without being told off for it, enviable."

"I have a lot of experience with rather complicated parents, believe me- and they are lovely boys, very well behaved, nothing like my last job."

"Not so well behaved children?"

"Oh, don´t get me wrong, I was exceptionally fond of the children- actually I went back two times when the additions to the family arrived, they were five children in the end, three girls and two boys."

"That´s a lot- it must have been exhausting."

"The two oldest not so much and the youngest not either, the third and fourth were twins, they were exhausting, always fighting about their toys and always crying at the same time- the little girl was lovely, Annabel, she was really special."

Mary smiled reminiscently, then she stood up straighter and turned her attention back to the man opposite her.

"I heard you have met Bert."

"The new gardener?"

"Yes, him- we are old friends."

"And he came here to find work close to you?"

Mary hoped sincerely she wasn´t blushing, those strange feelings for her friend seemed to complicate every single thing she did, even a conversation.

"Uhm- yes."

Josef smiled knowingly.

---

"Mamam, can you come and play with us?"

The queen smiled at the excitement in her son´s voice.

"I´ll come upstairs with you and stay for half an hour, Phillippe but then I really have to get some work done, it´s very late already."

"Ok- bye Papa."

Rupert ruffled Phillippe´s hair, then smiled at Pierre and kissed Clarisse´s cheek.

"I´ll see you all later."

The king left the room and Clarisse took Phillippe´s hand while Pierre led the way outside and towards the staircase.

"Joe!"

Phillippe pulled his hand out of his mother´s and ran towards the man who had just come down the stairs- Clarisse watched as Josef picked her son up and held him high over his head, causing the small boy to squeal with delight.

Josef put Phillippe back down and smiled at Pierre.

"Good morning- I heard you´ve been outside already."

"Yes and we had breakfast with Mamam and Papa" Phillippe told him excitedly, turning back to Clarisse with a bright happy smile on his face.

The sight made Clarisse´s heart ache, how easy it was to make her children so happy and how rarely she even made the effort to try.

"Good morning, Your Majesty" Josef bowed his head while the boys started chasing each other around the entrance hall.

"Good morning, Josef- Pierre, Phillippe- don´t-" "Let them" Josef told her quietly, "they need to be just boys from time to time."

The queen sighed, then nodded.

"All right, I suppose that´s true- but I hold you responsible if they crash into a suit of armor and knock it over."

"I thought that sort of behavior was a tradition within the royal family" Josef teased her and Clarisse blushed.

"Oh you are awful- I think you need to be punished for that, you will have to come upstairs with us and wait for me outside the nursery while I play with the boys."

"I would have done that anyway, I need to accompany you back to the office afterwards."

"I do know that- it´s just much more fun to pretend that I can actually make you do things you don´t want to do anyway."

Clarisse pouted, thinking how silly she was for flirting with him so obviously but other than her sons no one was around and thankfully they were to young to read the obvious signs.

---

Mary looked up from her needle work when the door opened and the princes entered the room, followed by the queen.

She smiled at Clarisse Renaldi`s pained expression when Phillippe thrust some toy soldiers into his mother´s hands and started to explain to her where to position her troupes on the battle field and where Pierre´s and his own would be, then she quietly left her seat by the window and closed the door to her own room behind herself to give the queen some time alone with her sons.

A smile played around Mary´s lips at the sight of a vase holding some beautiful yellow roses on the dressing table, Bert always managed to surprise her somehow, he always had.

She walked over to the window and wasn´t surprised when she spotted Bert tending to some rose bushes near by.

Mary opened the window and quietly called Bert´s name, smiling when her friend looked up at her.

"Hello, aren´t you busy?"

"Not right now- the queen is with the boys- I found the roses."

He smiled happily up at her and shrugged in a most charming way.

"I couldn´t help myself- do you like them?"

"Of course I do, they are wonderful- I have to go now, I don´t want the queen to think I´m chatting instead of doing my job."

Bert laughed, nodding and looking at his watch.

"You are right, I should hurry up as well- will you be outside after lunch?"

"Yes, I will" Mary smiled warmly, her heart was beating very fast in her chest and it was a very nice feeling, she couldn´t help but admit it.

"I´m really sorry but I do have to go" the queen told her sons apologetically as she allowed Josef to help her get up from the floor.

"I will see you at lunch, we´ll eat outside today."

"Oh, great" Phillippe smiled enthusiastically as he hugged her goodbye.

Clarisse stroked her son´s messy dark hair, then kissed Pierre´s forehead before following Josef over to the door he was holding open for her.

"Thank you" she said once they were out in the corridor alone and the door had closed behind them.

"What for?"

"You know what for- for coming in and telling me I had to leave now so it wouldn´t look as though I wanted to leave to the boys."

"Well, you don´t really want to go and do paperwork, do you- but that´s what it looks like to them, now they will blame me for making you leave."

Clarisse laughed lightly as she smiled lovingly up at him.

"You are such a perfect gentleman, Josef, I really can understand all my female staff pining for you in secret."

"They do?"

Josef asked, making Clarisse giggle even harder.

"Of course, you should see the way they are looking at you when you walk past, it´s one of my favorite past times to watch."

"I have never noticed, I must have been too occupied with my own favorite pastime."

"Which would be what?"

Her voice was a bit breathless and Josef kept up his husky tone as he replied "Watching you."

The queen lowered her gaze, her blue eyes now hidden beneath her long dark eyelashes as a faint blush crept into her porcelain cheeks.

"I apologize, Your Majesty" Josef quietly added, "that was inappropriate."

She couldn´t answer for they had reached her office door and were within hearing distance of the guards on either side of it.

Josef held the door open for her, the sleeve of her dress briefly brushing against his hand as she walked past him, causing him to momentarily hold his breath.

He followed her inside and briefly smiled at her her secretary who was standing next to the queen´s desk with a deep frown on her face.

"Good morning, Your Majesty" the older woman said stiffly, glaring at Josef as though it was solely his fault that the queen was late.

"Good morning, Juliette" Clarisse replied as she took a seat at the desk and reached out for a couple of letters lying on the surface in front of her.

"What have I missed?"

Josef was sitting on one of the stone benches next to the maze, deep in thought.

Why couldn´t he simply have kept his tongue in check, it was bad enough that he flirted with the queen anytime he got the chance but it was a completely different thing to actually tell her how he felt about her, up to now she had been able to pretend that she didn´t notice the looks he gave her and from time to time she even flirted back, now she would probably feel extremely uneasy around him and he probably had spoiled their friendly relationship.

The sound of light footsteps made him look up and he got up from the bench in surprise.

"What are you doing out here all alone, how did you get away from the guards?"

She smiled nervously.

"I managed to slip away- don´t blame them, I really lead them on and they believed me."

"I will talk to them later- why are you out here in the first place, anyway?"

"I was looking for you" she admitted, stepping closer to her.

"Come, sit with me" she instructed him gently before sitting down herself and waiting for him to follow her lead.

Josef sat down hesitantly, he knew what was coming and completely against his usual habit he would have given anything to avoid the conversation they were going to have.

"Josef, you know what I want to talk about, don´t you."

"I believe so, Your Majesty" he replied stiffly, avoiding to look directly into her eyes.

"I already have apologized and I´m doing so again, I´m truly sorry for my- slip."

"This isn´t about what you said, Josef- it´s about how you feel- about me."

She added, leaving him in no doubt that she knew exactly that he hadn´t just been teasing her earlier.

"I´m afraid I can´t help how I feel about you, I promise to not let it show again though" he offered but the queen impatiently shook her head.

"We are living a lie, Josef- we can´t be around each other in such close proximity and pretend all the time, it´s devastating- for both of us."

She bit her lip and Josef suddenly understood the full meaning of her words.

"You mean- but how could you- you are beautiful, important, perfect- I´m just- nobody."

"Oh Josef, how can you say something like that?"

Tears were running down her cheeks now but they only made her look even prettier, more fragile.

Before he knew what was happening she had wrapped her arms around his neck and hidden her face in his neck, her slender body shaking as he tentatively pulled her close to him.

"I love you" she whispered against his skin, "I love you so much I can´t bear it."


End file.
